101365


The dish yakisoba is clearly written as やきそば or 焼きそば. When I hear native
speakers speak it, it sounds to me like the "い" sound in "き" is silent. I've
heard it pronounced like "yak-soba". Is there a reason for this and is it
correct to pronounce it like "yak-soba" or should I pronounce it like the
hirigana is written?


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2023-10-17T16:15:02.433
101363
2023-10-18T01:32:04.903
57793
question
pronunciation
Do you pronounce the "い" sound in yakisoba [やきそば]?


Sounds like a textbook case of
[devoicing](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ulhd9fl2Gug). I am not at all
well-versed in the rules and exceptions to this phenomenon, but some
information can be found [here on
Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_phonology#Devoicing).

Note that there are certain regions and dialects of Japan where devoicing is
not observed. If you hear a word pronounced not like what you would have
expected, always try to consult a dictionary like [this one](https://sakura-
paris.org/dict/NHK%E6%97%A5%E6%9C%AC%E8%AA%9E%E7%99%BA%E9%9F%B3%E3%82%A2%E3%82%AF%E3%82%BB%E3%83%B3%E3%83%88%E8%BE%9E%E5%85%B8/suffix/%E7%84%BC%E3%81%8D%E3%81%9D%E3%81%B0)
(In this link, devoicing of the キ is represented by a discontinuous circle
around the katakana).


CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-10-17T16:36:11.440
101365
2023-10-17T16:36:11.440
57794
101363
answer


The vowel of the second syllable does appear to be devoiced, compare the
pronunciation of 競う and 生蕎麦, where the 'i' of the initial 'ki' is quite
definitely devoiced.


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2023-10-18T01:32:04.903
101368
2023-10-18T01:32:04.903
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answer